If Novartis is to be believed, Dendreon – which earlier this week put in motion Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings (scripintelligence.com, 10 November 2014) – is not a failure, but an enabler for the next generation of cell immunotherapies. This came from Dr Usman Azam, global head of Novartis's recently established Cell and Gene Therapies Unit, speaking at the Advanced Therapies Investor Day held in London on 13 November.
Dendreon is a regarded as a victim of first-mover disadvantage, and its trials and tribulations are being lauded as a...